Lighting fixture



*April 14,- 1942. Ajc. WELLS LIGH'riING FIXTURE' Filed Nov. 22, 1940l INVENTOR ,4M/ew C /fl/e//s ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 14, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENTfOFFIC 4 Claims.

This invention relates to lighting nxtures of the automatic type combinable with a movable closure and adapted for operation thereby when the same is swung to and from the normal position.

One of the primary aims of this invention is 'to provide a unitary lighting xture adaptable for use with 4and operable by a movable closure,

lsuch as a door, said fixture including as a part thereof, means for supporting one or more batteries to supply current to the lamp; a reiiector that ls.combined with an arcuate, transparent lens; and an adjustable plunger, the length of which may be altered from time to time without disassembling the xture orfremoving the same from the operative position.

Astill further aim of this invention is to provide a lighting fixture of the aforementioned character that may be sold and installed as a single element and caused to operate when the door of a closet or similar room for example, is moved from the normally closed position toward the open position, said fixture having manually operable means Afor closing the circuit and therefore making the lamp burn when the said door is closed andthe automatic switch, which is operated thereby, is in the open circuit position. y Other yobjects of this invention will appear during the course of the following specification,

referring to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the lighting fixture made in accordance with this invention and mounted for use.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view through the iixture taken on line II-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view through the Afixture taken on line III- III of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a modified form of the invention..

It is common practice to light the interior of closets, cabinets or other comparatively inaccessible chambers. with lamps having electrical circuits closable when the closed door is swung to the open position.

This invention therefore, inits broadest aspect. 4

contemplates the provision of a unitary lighting fixture that may be manufactured and assembled at a place remote from the point of use .and installation, and positioned by one not necessarily skilled, without the employment of special equipment or affecting the building in any manner whatsoever. A solution to the presently existing problem therefore, has been discovered and when a lighting fixture made as shown in one embodiment of the invention, 1s created, the same may be combined with the swinging door or closure 6 of any structure, broadly designated by the nuas shown in Fig. 2, the hereinafter described. movable part of the xture will be in the circuit opening condition.

The unitary fixture Vcomprises a case i6, one

section whereof is L-shaped` in 'cross section.

One leg of this L-shaped section of case i6, is secured to header I0 through the medium of screws or analogous fastening means I8, to maintain the other leg thereof in substantially parallel relation with closure 6 when the same is in the normal position. The other section 2i) of case i6 is removable when the first mentioned L-shaped section is fastened to header I0. l

A longitudinal groove 22 formed along one edge of section 28 engages lip 24 and a screw 2S joins the two sections of case i6 when thev parts are assembled.

Section 20 has a concave reflector surface 28 through which'is provided an opening 30 for the passage of lamp 32.

Grooves 34 and 36 in section 20 are formed along each longitudinal edge of the relatively long reflecting surface `28 and receive the longitudinal edges of a transparent lens 38 formed of transparent plastic. The width of lens 38 when the marginal edges thereof are not extended into grooves 34 and 36, is slightly greater than the shortest distance between these grooves ,and

therefore, lens 38 is outwardly arched when in 'rearwardly angled ear 42, integral with thev first mentioned section of case iii. A bushing 44 which lines the screwthreaded opening in ear 42 has a finger v46 integral therewith, that bears against the base of battery 48. Contact finger 50 secured to case i6 by screws 52, is in connection with lamp 32 and the positive' contact point 54 of battery 5t. A conductor 58 insulated from case i6 by blocks 60 is in engagement with the negative contact point of battery 56 at one end thereof, while the other end forms a contact point 82 disposed in the path of travel of movable bridging member 64.

Another conductor 65 insulated from and secured to case I6 through the medium of blocks 68,

has one end thereof in connection with positive contact point 10 of lbattery V48, while the other travel of member 84.

part of bushing 14 slidably journalled in bearing f end establishes a contact point 12 in the path of Member 64 is an integral "64 and a compression spring 80 is interposed between plate 18 and depending wall of case 6 to move bushing and member 14 and 64 respectively, into the circuit closing position when door 6 is opened.

Plunger 82 in screwthreaded engagement with bushing 14, has the head 84 thereof in`the path of travel of closure 6 to insure movement of member 64 from contact point 12 and 62 respectively, when closure 6 is against stop I4. Thus, when closure 6 is inthe normal position, lamp 32 will not burn, butwhen closure 6 is swung open from the normal position, spring 60 will force member 64 against contact points 62 and 12 to close .the circuit from batteries 48 and 56 respectively; to lamp 32.

In many instances, it is desirable to enter a compartment, close door 6 but still have light by causing lamp 32 to burn. In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 4, the

circuitv supplying current to lamp 32 from batteries 48 and 56, is modified by the introduction of a manually controllable switch that is independent of the automatic circuit making and breaking equipment. This manually operable switch may be moved to cause lamp 32 to burn while member 64 is at a distance from contact points 02 and 12.

The only modification that need be made in constructing the lighting fixture to embody this manually controllable switch is to break conductor 66 so that it presents a pair of contact points and |02, bridged by slide |04. Button |06 projecting exteriorly of case I6 through slot 00, permits longitudinally moving slide |04 to position thesame where the circuit is either opened or closed independently of the position of member 64.

With the condition present as illustrated in Fig. 4, the circuit is open and the lamp is not burning. Slide v|04 is made of conducting material, but in this illustrated position, an area of .insulating substance ||0 on slide |04 bears against contact point 62. If the user enters the compartment and closes door 6, member 64 will be as seen in Fig. 4. The lamp 32 may be caused to burn by moving button |06 in the direction of the arrow, where insulating substance ||0 is moved from contact point 62 and the latter caused to engage thevmain portion of slide |04. Thus, the circuit f to jlamp 32 will be closed through contact points |00, |02 and 62 being ,y 2,279,933 y I;

position by the removal of screw 26. Resilient fingers 86 secured to case |6embrace the batteries and yieldablyfy hold the same in the operative position.

Obviously, unitary lighting fixtures embodying this invention and capable of employment with swinging closures, such as iliusrated in the accompanying drawing, may be made to present physical characteristics different than that shown and described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired tobe secured by Letters Patent is: g l

1. In a unitary lighting fixture having a lamp and adapted for attachment to the horizontal under surface of a door header, acase having means for attachment to the'header comprising an L-shaped section havingv an offset' lip along the free edge of one side thereof; a flexible lens; and another section having a reecting portion for the light rays from the lamp provided with a groove along one of its edges in engagement with said lip, said last mentioned section-including a planar extensionv projecting from the refleeting portion in substantially parallel relation and spaced from the said one side of the L- shaped section, said extension being shorter than the one side of the L-shaped'section whereby to dispose the reflecting portion at an angle to direct light rays downwardly and outwardly from the case, said reflecting portion being provided with an inwardly facing groove along each of two opopsite edges thereof respectively for re-I ceiving two opposite marginal edges of the lens. 2. In a unitary lighting fixture having-a lamp and adapted for attachment to the horizontal bridged by slid.: |04. The position of member Y 64 does not affect the operation of the partsof this auxiliary switch'.

If it is desiredto render the bridging of contact points 62 and 12 by member 64 ineffective, slide |04 may be moved through its full path of travel in the direction opposite to thatiindicated by the arrow, whereupon the section |03 under surface of a door header, a case having means for attachment to the header comprising an L-shaped section having an offset lip' along the free edge of one side thereof; a flexible lens; and another section having a reflecting portion for the light rays from the lamp provided with a groove along one of its edges in engagement with said lip, said last mentioned section including a planar extension projecting from the reflecting portion in substantially parallel relation and spaced from the said one side of the L- shaped section, said extension being Ashorter than the one side of the L-shaped section whereby to dispose the reflecting portion at an angle to direci; iight rays downwardly and outwardly from the case, said reflecting portion being provided with an inwardly facing groove along each of two opposite edges thereof respectively for receiving two opposite marginal edges of the lens, said reflecting portion being concave in transverse cross section and having an opening therethro/ugh to receive the lamp, the distance between said inwardiy facing grooves being less than the width of said lens whereby the latter is held in an outwardly arched condition, said L- `shaped section having a lamp supporting ear integral therewith disposed downwardly and inwardly from the said one side thereof to overlie the opening.

3. In a unitary li'ghtirfg fixture adaptable for use with and operable by a movable closure, a case having means for attachment to a support; a lamp mounted within said case; a battery within said case; a switch in said case comprising a member positioned "to reciprocate substantially at right angles to the rearward side of said case and having an operating end portion exposed exteriorly of said side of vsaid case; said case comprising an L-shaped section having a lip along the longitudiriai edge oi one side thereof, sockets along the longitudinal edge oi another thereu of, and an ear centrally located singularly positioned inwardly from the one side a l forward edge thereof to reoeivethe seid l nga; a flexible lens; another section comprising; :i conn cave longitudinal .retiecting portion honing an opening therein near its center larger 'than and formed to receive the said lampv said other sec tion having e longitudinal groove rearwardly or said portion and adjacent one edge thereof for receiving the lip of the said L-shaped section, and another longitudinal groove forwardly of said portion end adjacent `the one edge thereof for receiving o. marginal edge oi' said lens, said grooves being atisubstantially right angles to each other. said other section having a third longitudinal groove positioned forwardly oi' andadjacent the other edge of the said reflecting portion for receiving the opposite marginal edge of the said lens, said lens being of slightly greater width than the distance between the forwardly positioned grooves whereby the said lens will be thereof for receiving the lip of the seid Lshaned section, and another longitudinal groove forwerdly of seid portion and adjacent the one edge thereof for receiving e marginal edge of said lens, said grooves being at substantially right angles to each other, said other section having a third longitudinal groove positioned forwardly of and adjacent the other edge of the said reileoting portion for receiving the opposite marginal edge of the said lens, said lens being oi? slightly greater width than the distance between the forwardly positioned grooves whereby the said lens will be transversely and outwardly arched when inserted into the said grooves, said other section having a planar extension rearwardly of the reflecting portion and in a plane substantially parallel to the said one side of the L-shaped section, said extension having fastening means projecting therethrough and into the said sockets.

ALDEN C. WELLS. 

